Strongest defence team in Australia’s history, says Conroy

The Minister For International Development and The Pacific made the grand statement while providing an update on the Australian government’s plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines and to develop the industrial base to deliver the submarine program, during the broadcasted address hosted by the National Press Club of Australia on 28 November.

The National Press Club of Australia speech was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, Australian Defence Force and the Department of Defence leadership, National Press Club members and directors as well as members of the Diplomatic Corps.

“I will make the point that this is, I think, one of the strongest defence teams in the history of the nation,” Minister Conroy said during the speech

“I can’t think of a time where we’ve had a defence minister this senior in a government. I’m happy for an historian to correct me, but I’d probably have to go back to John Curtin when he was both Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Cooperation during World War II. One of the great achievements of this Government under Prime Minister Albanese is to have a deputy prime minister who is Minister for Defence and a foreign minister who is Leader in the Senate.

The current defence-heavy composition of the federal government leadership is a great achievement and has given “Defence more influence around the table”, according to Minister Conroy.

“I defy anyone to say a government has had a team with that great a senior representation, and that gives defence more influence around the table. That gives defence much more say in the priorities of the Government.

“Minister Keogh and myself and Assistant Minister Thistlethwaite, we work really strongly with the Deputy Prime Minister.

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“Unlike a lot of defence industry ministers, for example, I am a full member of the National Security Committee of cabinet. So I think we’ve got strong representation and I think you’ve seen that flow through with decisions around the optimal pathway for the nuclear-powered submarines and the Defence Strategic Review and securing the commitment, for example, of increasing defence spending to 2.3 per cent of GDP over the decade. That is the greatest level of defence funding as a percentage of GDP in nearly 50 years.”

While Minister Conroy did not detail any new information regarding domestic defence industry development or the AUKUS trilateral defence agreement, he did respond to criticism directed at the expected cost of building submarines in Australia by 2040.

“When we look out to the region, we see intensifying great power competition, accelerating military build-up, rising tensions and reduced warning time for conflict,” he said. “This is Australia’s most challenging strategic environment since the Second World War.

“To shape a peaceful and stable region, Australia must play its part in deterring aggression and coercion … we must be able to deter conflict before it begins, and certainly before it reaches our shores.

“That means investing in military capabilities that will discourage anyone from taking actions against our interests.

“For Australia, this is best achieved by arming the ADF to hold any potential opponent’s assets at risk at greater distance from Australia’s shores.

“This requires a mix of intelligence collection, defensive and strike assets that generate deterrence and, if that fails, an ability to impose unacceptably high costs on any attacker.

“Acquiring the most capable nuclear-powered, conventionally-armed submarines in the world is key to this strategy.”

He also doubled-back over the widely-publicised explanation of why diesel-electric submarines like the current Collins Class submarine would not suit Australia’s strategic environment into the future.

“Increases in wide-area surveillance and detection capabilities mean the effectiveness of conventionally powered submarines will be more challenged in the decades ahead,” Minister Conroy said.

“At some stage in coming decades, the requirement to snort air to run diesel engines to recharge their batteries will compromise the stealth and effectiveness of conventional submarines, potentially affecting their survivability in a high-threat environment.

“Nuclear-powered submarines enable us to hold an enemy’s assets at risk at the greatest distance possible from Australia’s shores, and to put a substantial question mark in their minds.

“Due to their stealth and destructive capability, submarines, especially the most capable nuclear-powered ones, provide an asymmetric advantage. They allow a middle power like Australia to place doubt in nations with much larger militaries.

“Ultimately, their speed and endurance mean that a fewer number of nuclear-powered submarines can do the work of a larger number of diesel-electric submarines.

“The key takeaway is that nuclear-powered submarines get to where they need to go faster; stay there longer; and can reposition to conduct other tasking more flexibly than conventional submarines.”

Minister Conroy said Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarine, SSN-AUKUS, will act as a state-of-the-art platform leveraging the best submarine technology from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia.

“SSN-AUKUS will be a common platform operated by both the UK and Australia, with two production lines; one based at Barrow-in-Furness in the UK, and one based at Osborne in South Australia,” he said.

“The first submarine will roll off the UK production line in the late 2030s for the Royal Navy.

“The first Australian submarine will be delivered in the early 2040s from Osborne at a three-yearly drumbeat.

“The SSN-AUKUS design will be new, it is envisaged that the combat system will be an evolved version of the current AN/BYG1 Combat System, which is already in service on the Collins and Virginia Class submarines. This evolved version will be co-developed by the US and Australia.

“It will incorporate evolutions of other existing systems that are tested, proven and successful, such as the vertical launch systems and torpedo tubes.

“It is also envisaged to carry weapons currently deployed on US and Australian submarines such as the Mark 48 heavyweight torpedo.

“Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines will be owned, operated, maintained and regulated by Australia and under Australian command.

“They will be a sovereign Australian capability, commanded by Royal Australian Navy officers under the Australian Defence Force’s chain of command.

“Decisions on their deployment, missions, and operations will be matters for the Australian government, as with all of Australia’s sovereign defence capabilities.”

Members of the public can expect an announcement on the build strategy and build partner for SSN-AUKUS early next year, he said.

Minister Conroy also elaborated on his own idolisation of former Australian Prime Minister John Curtin (deceased), who held office during World War II and in particular, the outset of war against Japan.